1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a contacting and contact-releasing mechanism for the use in a socket for an electric part such as IC socket, and particularly to a moving mechanism for a moving plate in which the moving plate provided on the socket body is horizontally moved in order to realize a contacting state and contact-releasing state between terminals of an electric part and contacts of the socket body.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Utility Model Early Laid Open Publication No. Sho 57-175388 discloses a means for realizing a contacting state and contact-releasing state, in which the moving plate and the socket body are respectively provided with pins arranged in vertical relation and projecting from both side surfaces thereof, both the pins being removably caught in a U-shaped groove which is formed in the end portion of an operation lever, said lever being pivoted rightward and leftward from its upright astriding state, thereby to render a horizontal movement force to the pins on the side of the moving plate which is snug fitted into the U-shaped groove in order to realize the contacting state and contact-releasing state.
In the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 60-52547, a crank lever interposed between a moving plate and a sock body is pivoted to cause an eccentric shaft portion disposed on the interposed crank shaft portion to be acted on the moving plate in order to obtain the horizontal movement.
In the former, however, the operation lever which is astride in its upright posture on the socket body becomes the obstacle for mounting and removing the electric part such as IC or the like. As a consequence, every time the moving plate is operated to move or every time the IC is mounted or removed, the lever must be mounted or removed. Moreover, it is so troublesome because the lever must always be in possession.
Furthermore, as it is constructed such that the operation lever is pivoted rightward or leftward from its upright state in order to obtain the movement of the moving plate, it cannot employ a method for simply moving a manipulator of a robot in the vertical direction to pivot said lever, and it is therefore not suitable for an automatic moving operation of the moving plate.
Also, in the latter crank lever system, twisting is generated at the crank shaft portion which is interposed between the socket body and the moving plate and motion by the eccentric shaft portion is not correctly transmitted. As a consequence, irregularities are occurred in moving distance of the moving plate and an inferior contacting state, etc. are taken place.
Also, if the eccentric shaft portion large in order to obtain a sufficient moving distance of the moving plate, the above-mentioned twisting amount is increased, while if the bending amount is small, the swinging angle of the lever becomes necessarily large. If the swinging angle of the lever is large, the lever is brought to be in its upright state. As in the preceding example, this cannot be operated by vertical motion of a robot, etc. Furthermore, if there is an obstacle above the socket, the operation becomes difficult.
The present invention has been accomplished in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems.